Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool - 1 smiles

Despite some good acting, "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" is not easy to watch with it's downbeat tone and difficult subject matter. The film, which focuses on the relationship between a young actor, Peter Turner (Jamie Bell) and his much older (and more famous) lover, Oscar-winning Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening), spends too little time establishing their relationship to understand the pain that results when Peter becomes Gloria's caregiver. Most of the film jumps back and forth in time, showing various stages of their affair and creating lots of confusion in chronology and plot.

Because the script is based on Peter Turner's memoir, director Paul McGuigan concerns himself with the cliches of the May-December romance and of a love story cut down by illness rather than focusing on Grahame in the last days of her life. The film shows little interest in the inner workings of a relationship that's defined by unusual circumstances. And when Turner brings Grahame home to his working-class family, his parents are incredibly unperturbed by their son's relationship with a troubled, much older, legend. This movie belongs to Bening as she imbues Grahame with self-awareness, dignity and desperation. She is a complex character and not entirely sympathetic. Unfortunately, Bening and Bell lack the chemistry to transcend the film's weaknesses, including Bell's rather bland performance. "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" is a basic biopic and I wouldn't rush out to see it.

The Post - 4 smiles

"The Post" tells the story of how The Washington Post, a local daily with little national prominence, transforms itself into an important bastion of investigative journalism by defying the Nixon administration in publishing excepts from The Pentagon Papers. Although the events in Steven Spielberg's movie happened 46 years ago, they find surprising relevance in today's political climate. Most presidents have had adversarial relationships with the press and more than one bemoaned the latitude resulting from the First Amendment, but, until Nixon, none tried to stifle the free press. Now, less than half a century later, we face similar growing concerns. "The Post" provides us with a history lesson with the hope that, by remembering what happened in 1971 and how important it was to the integrity of the government, we won't again attack the free press for doing their job.

Spielberg is a great storyteller and in his capable hands, we learn how The Washington Post landed on the front lines of The Pentagon Papers battleground (along side The New York Times). The movie tackles the story from two angles that eventually converge. Never has a conference call been so suspenseful. Prior to that, however, we follow the actions of The Washington Post's timid owner, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep), to steer the paper along a conservative course as it prepares for an IPO that will provide a needed infusion of cash. Meanwhile, Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), after doggedly tracking the so-called 'Pentagon Papers' (a Department of Defense history of the US involvement in Vietnam from the Truman through Eisenhower administrations), comes into possession of the entire 4,000-page document and has an opportunity to uncover one of the many damning stories and take it to print. His aggressiveness throws The Washington Post into a legal quagmire that pits the paper against the Nixon administration in court and threatens jail time for many of the key players. Kay is faced with a choice: allow Ben to go forward or put the breaks on the story. The acting is top notch. Both Hanks and Streep are skilled performers and they give Oscar-worthy performances. And Spielberg is meticulous in his recreation of a 1970s-style newsroom and his portrayal of how papers were typeset and printed before there were computers. And for the two occasions Nixon is on screen, Spielberg uses the back of an actor and Nixon's voice as preserved on tape. "The Post" is reminiscent of Spotlight, which captured the 2016 Oscar. Both films extol the importance of investigative journalism and when there are powerful push-backs, that's when the First Amendment is at its most important. "The Post" offers a stirring reminder of those heroes who protected the American way of life.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - 3 smiles

"Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is a pleasant surprise. Although the Rock flexes his biceps and exudes charisma, Kevin Hart does the kind of comedy he's good at and Karen Gillan is solid as the fighter, the show stealer is Jack Black, whose gender-confused wilderness explorer is not only consistently funny but proves he really can act. Four high school students, geek Spencer Gilpin (Alex Wolff), football player Fridge Johnson (Ser'Darius Blain), popular Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman) and mousey Martha Haply (Morgan Turner), are serving detention by cleaning out the basement at their school. There, they find the Jumanji video game, where they assume the avatars they have chosen. Spencer becomes muscle-bound archeologist Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson) and Fridge loses two feet of height as Smolder's sidekick 'Moose' Finbar (Kevin Hart). Martha jumps way up on the hotness scale as Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) and poor Bethany transforms from a svelte, curly blond into a pudgy middle-aged man, Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black).

It doesn't take them long to figure out that they're playing Jumanji for real and they have limited lives before its 'game over' and winning requires progressing through increasingly difficult levels, solving riddles and eventually battling the Big Boss, bad-to-the-bone Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale).  Because the characters all start out with three lives, we get to see each of them die at least once, sometimes in amusing ways. And Black's impersonation of a girl is equal parts hilarious and spot-on. He steals every scene he's in. Director Jake Kasdan keeps things moving although the pace suffers in the beginning. "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Phantom Thread - 1 1/2 smiles

"Phantom Thread," starring Daniel Day-Lewis in, he has said, his last role, is the story of a selfish, headstrong haute couture designer. While Paul Thomas Anderson's movie is meticulously constructed and exquisitely performed, it is ultimately self-indulgent and morally empty. The focus is on the central character, a man driven by the impulse to create, but Anderson never explores Reynolds Woodcock's (Day-Lewis) motives or the ideas behind  his creations. We see more about his jealous reaction to a customer buying dresses elsewhere and his irritated reaction to toast being buttered too loudly.

We learn early in the film that Woodcock tires easily of his live-in lady friends and that it is his capable sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) who not unkindly informs his latest that her services are no longer required. Woodcock visits the country where Alma (Luxembourg actress Vicky Krieps), a waitress, catches his attention. Soon she becomes the next lady to rotate in. However, she has no intention of rotating out and she ultimately proves that the submissive is really the dominant in their relationship. Unfortunately, this twist and the nutso ending really ruins the movie. Day-Lewis is extraordinary, of course. And Manville's Cyril is shrewd but not unsympathetic to the people she has to manipulate. Krieps is fine as Alma, who wants what she wants the way she wants it, not necessarily the way he wants it. Nonetheless "Phantom Thread" is a disappointment.

Paddington 2 - 3 1/2 smiles

"Paddington 2" is a delightfully heartwarming tale about everyone's favorite marmalade-loving bear. Ben Whishaw returns as the voice of the beloved ursine hero, as do many of the faces who made up 2015's original film. This time around, Paddington is living in London with his new family, the Browns, and he's saving up to buy an antique pop-up book for his Aunt Lucy's birthday. When a burglar steals the book from a shop one night, Paddington goes in pursuit, only to be mistaken for the thief and sentenced to jail time. The real culprit is his neighbor, washed-up actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), who wants the book to help fund a one-man show. It's up to Paddington and the Browns to find the evidence linking this preening master of disguise to the crime and clear Paddington's name.

Paddington moves through London spreading generosity, joy and acceptance and no one seems to care that he is a bear. This powerful message never seems preachy and is cleverly woven throughout the movie. Even when Paddington is in jail and winning over the prison's cantankerous cook, Nuckles McGinty (Brendon Gleeson), this whimsical tale will make you smile. And with our world going a little off kilter, "Paddington 2" is a breath of fresh air.

All the Money in the World - 2 smiles

I have to admit that I was distracted through much of "All the Money in the World." Director Ridley Scott replaced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty, reshooting key scenes at a reported cost of $10 million. (We know that Mark Wahlberg got $1mil and Michelle Williams got $1,000. And while Scott made an obvious statement about sexual harassment, he also revealed something about Hollywood's male/female salary inequality.) I kept looking for awkward transitions with Plummer and it's to Scott's credit that the movie flows as smoothly as it does. The story is loosely based on the real life kidnapping of John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer), grandson of tight-fisted billionaire J.P. Getty (Christopher Plummer, no relation) by Italian mobsters. For the teenager's safe return, the criminals demand a $17 million ransom. However, Paul's mother, Gail (Michelle Williams), has no money and Getty is unwilling to part with even a fraction of what is being demanded, declaring that he would be setting a precedent for his 14 other grandchildren if he pays. Instead of offering money, he dispatches his chief of security, ex-CIA agent Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg) to find and retrieve Paul.

The scenes featuring Paul in the hands of his kidnappers and detailing his interaction with the sympathetic Cinquanta (Romain Duris) seem too staged and artificial. The focus on Gail and Fletcher as they attempt to locate Paul lack suspense and it's hard to relate to Fletcher in any way. Williams is effective as a mother frantic for her son's return, but the script gives her little than this one note to play. The movie shines when Plummer is on the screen because Getty is by far the most compelling character in the film. Unfortunately, this creates an imbalance because a supporting character isn't supposed to grab so much attention. Plummer's Getty is cold and amoral, a man more interested in acquiring 'things' than seeing to the well being of his family. Ultimately, the scandals surrounding "All the Money in the World" are more interesting than the movie itself.